U.S. Army more selective on recruits, enlistments

Posted: May 22, 2012 - 12:12pm

Associated Press

WASHINGTON (AP) — Uncle Sam may still want you. But you? Maybe not.

Internal Army documents show that in sharp contrast to the peak years of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, the service last year took in no recruits with misconduct convictions or drug or alcohol issues. And a soldier already serving on active duty must meet tougher standards to stay on for another tour in uniform.

The Army is also spending hundreds of thousands of dollars less in bonuses to attract recruits or entice soldiers to remain on active duty.

The greater scrutiny and the bonus cutbacks are key elements of an effort to slash the size of the active duty Army from its peak of about 570,000 during the height of the Iraq war to 490,000 by 2017.